ISS1101 Hero Wars – Contents

Table of Contents collected by Charles Corrigan.

Table of Contents

Preface
Chapter 1, Getting started
Chapter 2, Characters
Chapter 3, Character Keywords
Chapter 4, Playing Hero Wars
Chapter 5, Basic Magic
Chapter 6, Theist Magic
Chapter 7, Sorcerous Magic
Chapter 8, Animist Magic
Chapter 9, Mystic Magic
Chapter 10, Advanced Magic

Preface 8
  Picture: A Dragonewt 9
1. Getting Started 10
  Picture: Untitled 15
2. Characters 16
  Heroes 16
  Opening Questions 16
    What Magnitude is This? 16
    What Range of Openness Is This? 17
  Getting Started 17
    Using the Narrative Method 17
    Backstory 18
    Using the List Method 19
    Using the Quick Start Method 20
    Assigning Ability Ratings 20
      Format for Abilities 21
  Common Characteristics 21
    Name 21
    Culture 21
    Keywords 21
    Goals 22
  Additional Traits 22
    Mundane Abilities 22
    Combat Abilities 23
    Magical Abilities 23
    Personality 23
  Picture: Dwarf 24
    Relationships 25
      Communities 25
      Supporting Characters 25
      Supporting Character Abilities 25
      Describing Your Supporting Character 26
      Gods, Spirits, or Saints 26
    Special Items 26
    Flaws 26
    Wealth 26
  Finishing Your Character 27
    Reading Your Narrative 27
  Sample: Character Sheet 28
  Character Tips and Hints 29
    Sympathy 29
    Indispensability 29
      Ambiguous References 29
  Hero Points 30
      Growing and Improving 30
    Gaining Hero Points 30
    Using Hero Points 31
      Improvement Relation to Game Play 31
  Table: Character Development Costs 31
    Improving Abilities 32
      Gaining Levels of Mastery 32
    New Abilities 32
      Learning a New Magical Ability 32
    Capture or Integrate a Spirit 33
    Supporting Characters 33
      Replacement Followers 33
      Other Supporting Characters 33
  Table: Supporting Character Ability Table 33
      Changing a Supporting Character’s Role 34
    Cementing Benefits 34
    Gaining New Flaws 35
    Buying Down Flaws 35
    Assigned Hero Points 35
  Wealth 35
    Standards of Living 36
      Minimal 36
      Common 36
      Prosperous 36
      Rich 36
      Very Rich 37
      Sumptuous 37
      Regal, Opulent 37
      Beyond Wealth 37
      Money 37
    Price Lists 37
  Table: Price List 38
  Picture: Two Merfolk 40
3. Character Keywords 41
  Keyword Layout 41
    Cultural Keyword 41
    Occupation Keyword 41
    Magic Keyword 42
    Ability Notes 42
      Berserk Attacks 42
      Healing Affinities 43
      Gifts and Geases 43
  Picture:Orlanthi Warriors 44
  The Heortlings 45
    Heortling Cultural Keyword 45
    Heortling Occupational Keywords 45
      God-talker 46
      Healer 46
      Hunter 46
      Lawspeaker 47
      Merchant 47
      Spirit Talker 47
      Warrior 48
    Heortling Magical Keywords 48
      Babeester Gor 48
      Bevera 49
      Chalana Arroy 50
      Ernalda 51
      Major Aspects of Ernalda 51
      Ernalda the Healer 52
      Ernalda the Leader 52
      Ernalda the Mother 53
      Hedkoranth 53
      Humakt 54
  Picture: Orlanth 53
      Humakt’s Gifts and Geases 56
      Issaries 57
      Kolat 58
      Lankhor Mhy 59
      Odalya 59
      Orlanth 60
      Major Aspects of Orlanth 61
      Orlanth Adventurous 61
      Orlanth Rex 62
      Orlanth Thunderous 62
      Vangath 63
      Flying 64
      Orlanthi Flying 64
      Solar Flight 64
      Spirit Flight 64
      Sorcerous Flight 64
      Mystic Flight 65
      Vinga 65
      Yinkin 65
    Orlanthi Mythology Notes 66
      The Thunder Brothers 66
      The Lightbringers 66
    Heortling Advanced Experience 67
      Clan or Tribal Council Member 67
      Priest 67
  Picture: Three Faces of the Moon 68
      Warband leader 69
  The Lunar Empire 69
    Dara Happan Cultural keyword 70
      Special Cultural Keyword: Imperial Citizen 70
    Lunar Occupation Keywords 70
      Dilettante 71
      Petty Nobleman 71
      Scholar 71
      Scount or Hunter 72
      Trader 72
    Special Occupation Keywords 72
      Missionary 73
      Soldier 73
  Lunar Empire Magical Keywords 74
      Buserian 74
      Deezola 75
      Durbadath 76
      Etyries 77
      Irippi Ontor 77
      Jakaleel 78
      Kenstrata 79
      Lokarnos 80
      Makabaeus 81
      Sedenya 82
      Natha 82
      Aspects of Natha 83
  Picture: A Whirling Blades Martial Artist 82
      Rufelza 85
      Taraltara 86
      Seven Mothers Collective 87
      Urvairinus 88
      Yanafal Tarnils 89
      Yelm 90
      Major Aspects of Yelm 91
  Dara Happan Advanced Experience 91
      Army Officer 91
      Imperial Bureaucrat 92
      Priest 92
  Picture: A Praxian Nomad 93
  Black Horse County 94
    Black Horse County Cultural Keyword 95
    Curelan (Peasant) Caste Occupation Keywords 95
      Camp Servant 95
      Liturgist of the Atroxic Church 95
      Merchant 96
    Ridderan (Warrior) Caste Occupation Keywords 96
      Footman 97
      Liturgist of the Black Horse Order 97
      Rider 97
      Steed 98
    Zoberan (Magician) Caste Occupation Keywords 98
      Zoberan Liturgist 98
      Wizard 99
    Black Horse County Magic keywords 99
      The Black Horse Order 99
      Order of Black Iron 100
      Order of Damnation 101
      The Atroxic Church 102
    Black Horse County Advanced Experience 102
      Bishop 102
      Knight 103
      Senior Steed 105
  Picture:Centaur 104
    The Black Horses 105
  The Grazers 106
    Grazer Cultural keyword 107
    Grazer Occupational Keywords 107
      Herdsman, Rider 107
      Shaman 108
      Warrior 108
    Grazer Magic Keywords 109
      Yu-kargzant Tradition 109
      Great Spirits of the Yu-kargazant Tradition 110
      Dastal the Hunter 110
      Jardan the Warrior 110
      Henird the Leader< 111
      Josad the Elder 111
      Special Spirits of the Yu-kargzant Tradition 111
      La-ungariant Tradition 112
      Great Spirits of the La-ungariant Tradition 113
      Arandayla 113
      Special Spirits of the La-ungariant Tradition 113
    Grazer Advanced Experience 113
      Clan Chief 113
      War Captain 114
4. Playing Hero Wars 115
  Die Rolling 115
      Critical Success 115
      Success 115
      Failure 116
      Fumble 116
      Target Number 1 116
      Target Number 20 116
  Victory and Defeat Levels 116
      Marginal 116
      Minor 116
      Major 116
      Complete 116
  Picture: A Debate 117
  Abilities 118
    Target Numbers 118
      Default target Numbers 118
    Mastery 118
      Mastery Results 118
  Table: Sample Resistances 119
      Cancelling out Mastery 121
      Special Case 121
    Modifiers 121
      Improvisation Modifier 121
  Picture: An Elf 122
      Gaining or Losing Mastery 123
      Modifiers from Previous Contests 123
    Bumping 123
      Bumping with Hero Points 123
      Bumping with Mastery 123
  Resistance 124
  Tests 124
  Table: Test Type 124
  Ordinary Consequence Chart 125
  Table: Ordinary Consequence Chart 125
  Automatic Success 125
  Ability Test 126
      No Repeated Attempts 126
  Simple Contests 126
  Table: Simple Contest Chart 127
      Results: 127
    Group Simple Contests 128
  Extended Contests 128
    Action Points (AP) 129
      Starting Action Points 129
      Desperation Stake 129
      How Much Do I Stake? 130
  Table: Extended Contest Chart 130
      Results: 131
    Subsequent Exchanges 131
      AP Knowledge 131
      Ending an Extended Contest 131
  Table: Ordinary AP Consequences Chart 132
  Group Extended Contests 132
    Rounds 132
      Order of Action 132
      Going before Your Turn 133
      Waiting to Act 133
    Exchanges in Group Contests 133
  Tactics and Options for Extended and Group Contests 133
    Enhancements 133
      Augmentation 133
  Table: Augmentation Resistance Chart 134
  Table: Augmentation Results Chart 134
      Edges and Handicaps 134
  Picture: A Troll 135
      Lending APs 136
    Switching Abilities 137
    Trading APs for Penalties 138
    Unrelated Actions 138
      Withdrawing from a Contest 138
      Positioning 138
    Free-for-alls 139
    Followers in Extended Contests 139
      Tracking followers 139
      Followers and Unrelated Actions 140
      Followers and Defeat 140
    Defending against Multiple Attachers 140
    Attacking Multiple Targets 140
    Taken Out 141
      Parting Shots 141
      Coup de Gr�ce 141
      Final Action 141
    Ending the Contest 142
  Concurrent Contests 144
  Combat 144
    Movement 144
    Equipment 144
      Melee Weapons 145
      Weapon Ranks 145
      Equipment Modifiers 145
      Missile Weapons 145
      Missile Ranks 145
  Picture: Selar Darom 146
      Range 147
      Armor 147
      Armor Ranks 147
      Equipment Modifiers 148
      Comparing Equipment 148
    Nonlethal Combat 148
      Script Protection 149
      Killing Helpless Opponents 149
    Describing Combat 150
    Grievous Wounds: An Option 151
  Warfare 151
  Injuries and Health 152
    Healthy 152
    Dazed 153
    Unconscious 154
    Hurt 155
      Penalties to Hurt Characters 153
      Recovery from Hurt 153
    Injured 153
      Penaties to Injured Characters 153
      Recovering from Injury 154
    Dying 154
    Dead 154
  Healing 154
    Healing in Midcontest 154
    Postcontest Healing 155
      First Aid and Minor Magical healing 155
      Major Healing 155
    Poison 155
      Onset 156
      Instant 156
      Lingering 156
      Effect 156
      Lethal 156
      Paralyzing 156
      Sleeping 156
      Passion 156
      Curing Poisons 156
    Healing Otherworldly Entities 157
5. Basic Magic 158
  Magic is Everywhere 158
  The Other Side 158
  The Importance of Myth 159
  Magical Abilities 159
  Box: The Runes 160
    Describing Magic 163
  The Four Forms of Magic 163
    Theism 164
    Sorcery 164
    Animism 164
    Mysticism 164
  Picture: A Kraloreli Scribe 165
    Secrets 166
  Magical Abilities in Common 167
  Gaining Magical Abilities 167
  Narrator Characters and Magical Abilities 167
  Types of Worship 167
    Theism – Sacrifice 168
    Sorcery – Veneration 168
    Animism – Ecstatic Worship 168
    Mysticism – Asceticism 169
    Personal Devotion 169
    Propitiatory Worship 169
  Universal Magical Rules 169
    Magic Use Requirements 170
    Magical Resistance 170
      Personal Resistance 170
      Natural Resistance 170
      Resolving Magical Resistance 170
    Describing Magical Resistance 171
      Theist 171
      Sorceror 172
      Animist 172
      Mystic 172
      Magic in Combat 172
    Difficult Magics (D+x) 172
  Table: Difficult Task Table 173
    Other Side Magics 173
    Magic and Consequences 173
6. Theistic Magic 174
  The God Plane 174
    Pantheons 175
    Great Gods 175
    Gods 175
  Picture: A Lunar Priest 176
    Enemy Gods 177
    Peeking into the God’s Houses 177
  Rules for Theism 177
    Gods’ Runes 178
    Theistic Magic 178
      Affinities 178
      Feats 178
    Piety 178
    Rituals and Myths 179
    Communal Worship 179
      Divine Aid 179
      Narrating Divine Aid 180
    Initiation 180
      Multiple Initiation 181
    Devotion 181
    Subcults 181
    Changing Initiation or Devotion within the Pantheon 182
    Changing Pantheon 182
  Theistic Character Creation 182
    Communal Worshipper 182
      During Play 183
      Benefits 183
      Obligations 183
    Initiate 183
      During Play 183
      Benefits 183
      Obligations 183
      Initiation to a Great God 184
    Devotee 184
      During Play 184
      Benefits 184
      Cult Secrets 184
      Subcult Secrets 184
      Obligations 185
      Devotion to a Great God 185
7. Sorcerous Magic 186
  The Magic World 186
    A Peek into the Laws 187
    The One God 187
    The First Prophets 187
      The Abiding Book 187
    Later Prophets 188
    Saints 188
    Orders 188
  Picture: A Sorceress 189
      Sorcerous Orders 190
      Low Orders 190
      High Orders 190
    Liturgists 191
    Wizards 191
    Sorcerers 191
    Magic 191
      Blessings and Curses 192
      Praying for Blessings or Curses 192
      Grimoires 192
      Creating a Portal of Power 193
      Connecting to Spells 194
      Casting a Spell 194
      Tapping 194
      Miracles 194
  Sorcerous Character Creation 196
    Lay Church Membership 196
      During Play 197
      Benefits 197
      Obligations 197
      Credo of Malkion 197
    Natural Piety 197
      During Play 197
      Benefits 198
      Obligations 198
    Saintly Veneration 198
      During Play 198
      Fighting Orders and Guilds 198
      Benefits 198
      Obligations 198
    Liturgists 198
      During Play 199
      Benefits 199
      The Abiding Book 199
      Obligations 199
    Apprenticeship 200
      During Play 200
      Benefits 200
      Obligations 200
    Chapter or School Membership 200
      During Play 200
      Benefits 201
      Obligations 201
8. Animist Magic 202
  The Spirit Plane 202
  Picture: A Shaman 203
  Peeking Past the Shamanic Circle 204
  Animistic Traditions 204
    Ancestor Worship 205
    Local Tradition 205
    Functional Tradition 205
    Hsunchen Peoples 205
    Tradition Secrets 205
    Spirits 206
    Shamans 206
  Rules for Animism 207
    Shamanic Abilities 207
      Tradition Knowledge 207
      Fetch 208
      Spirit Sight 208
      Spirit World Travel 208
      Shamanic Escape 208
      Spirit Combat 208
    Defeated Spirits 209
      Spirits from Inside the Tradition 209
      Spirits from Outside the Tradition 209
    Fetishes 210
    Integration of Spirits 211
    Spirit Possession 211
    Spirit Cults 212
  Animist Character Creation 213
    Member 213
      During Play 213
      Benefits 213
      Obligations 213
    Holy Person, Sacred Chief, Family Head 213
      During Play 214
      Benefits 214
      Obligations 214
    Shaman 214
      During Play 214
      Benefits 215
      Obligations 215
      Secondary Traditions 215
    Hsunchen Tribesman 215
      During Play 216
      Benefits 216
      Shapechange 216
      Obligations 216
9. Mystic Magic 217
  The Other Side 217
  Mysticism in the World 218
    Non-Eastern Mystics 218
  Picture: Two Mystics 219
      Mystical Disciplines 220
      Mystic Philosophies 220
      Enlighten Masters 220
      Paths 220
      Dojos 221
    Illumination 221
  Rules for Mysticism 222
    Disciplines 222
      Physical Training 222
      Mental Training 222
      Spiritual Training 223
    Powers 223
      Balance 223
      Counters 223
      Refute 223
      Reflect 224
      Other Counters 224
      Countering the World 224
      Strikes 225
  Mystic Character Creation 226
    Orthodox Mystic 226
    Manifest Mystic Student 226
      During Play 226
      Benefits 227
      Obligations 227
10. Advanced Magic 227
  Temples 227
    Sanctuaries 228
    Shrines 228
  Magical Home Defences 228
    Theist Towns 228
    Sorcerous Towns 229
    Animistic Villages 229
    Mystics 229
  Extending Magic 230
    Targets 230
  Table: Number of Targets Chart 230
    Distance 230
      Targeting 230
      Optional Physical Contact 231
      Mandatory Physical Contact 231
  Table: Base Distance Chart 231
    Duration 231
      Instantaneous Magics 231
      Ongoing Magics 232
      Increased Duration 232
  Table: Duration Chart 232
    Permanent Enchantments 232
      Effects of Enchantment 233
      Enchantment Resistance 233
      Iron and Runic Metals 233
  Table: Material Enchantment Resistance Chart 234
    Delayed Magic 234
    Cancel Ongoing Magic 235
  Rituals 236
    Elements of a Ritual 236
    Creating Rituals 236
  Table: Ritual Bonus Table 237
  Lunar Magical Cycles 238
    Lunar Power by Day 238
    The Glowline 239
  The Elemental Progression 239
  Picture: A Duck 240
    Enacting a Ritual 241
      Time Needed 241
      Benefits 242
  Community Participation 243
    Levels of Support 243
      Mixed Support 243
  Table: Community Participation Table 244
  Heroic Consequences Chart 245
  Table: Heroic Consequences Chart 245
  Divine Mechanics 245
    Change as a Divinity 245
    Slow Death of a Divinity 245
    Growth of a Divinity 246
  Misapplied Worship 245
    Costs of Misapplied Worship 247
    Misapplied Sacrifice 247
      Sacrificing to Sorcerous Entities 247
      Sacrificing to Spirit Entities 247
      Travel on the Other Side 248
      Otherworld Safety 248
    Misapplied Veneration 248
      Venerating Gods 248
      Venerating Spirit Entities 249
      Travel on the Other Side 249
      Otherworld Safety 249
    Misapplied Ecstatic Worship 249
      Ecstatic Worship of Gods 249
      Ecstatic Worship of Sorcerous Entities 250
      Travel on the Other Side 250
      Otherworld Safety 250
    Misapplied Mysticism 250
    Combined Worship 251
    Secrets and Subcults 251
    Classifying Otherworld Entities 251
    Charlatans and False Belief 252

Related Pages

2000 | HW | Issaries | ToC